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Years in Review

2014 Year in Review

2014 Year in Review

When the Ebola crisis hit countries in West Africa, veterinary medicine researchers from the school headed to the frontline. They served a critical role by conducting laboratory testing to identify cases so that rapid tracing of patient-contacts could begin, thereby reducing the transmission of the disease. These researchers, graduates of the Veterinary Scientist Training Program, have the joint skillset of a DVM and PhD—making them invaluable in situations like this Ebola outbreak where emerging and zoonotic diseases can have such a devastating impact.

UC Davis leads the nation’s veterinary schools with $74 million in research funding for the fiscal year 2013-2014. Many research findings can be translated from veterinary medicine to human medicine, such as discovering the genetics of cleft palate in a particular dog breed that will aid in understanding this human birth defect. Melanoma treatment in dogs also holds hope for human patients.

Many faculty members were recognized for their contributions and expertise including:

Professors Xinbin Chen and Gino Cortopassi joined the illustrious ranks of AAAS Fellows.

Students for One Health joined with School of Medicine students to provide monthly basic veterinary care for pets of an underserved agricultural population at the Knights Landing Clinic.

The school successfully achieved an ambitious goal of raising $160 million in philanthropic gifts as part of The Campaign for UC Davis, an 8-year comprehensive fundraising effort. More than half of this total— over $80 million—was directed to research and program support, and nearly $32 million went to help students.

Researchers solved a century-old mystery when they determined the survival mechanism for bluetongue virus, a serious disease that annually costs U.S. cattle and sheep industries an estimated $125 million.

Veterinary oral surgeons increased the scope of their novel jawbone regrowth surgeries by successfully performing a nearly complete lower jaw reconstruction in a dog that lost part of her jaw to cancer.

Thanks to surgical techniques developed in a veterinary clinical trial, a veterinary ophthalmologist was able to successfully treat cornea disease in a dog and hopes to discover the gene causing the disease.

As California continues to struggle with ongoing drought, UC Davis’ Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, provided guidance for dairy farmers and ranchers with information on workshops, assistance application sessions and on-line resources. The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory system published a special report on drought-related feed toxicity to build public awareness of this health risk.

The California Raptor Center released a young, female golden eagle after more than eight months of treatment and rehabilitation for a novel mite infestation, first identified by UC Davis veterinary epidemiologists.

2013 Year in Review

2013 Year in Review

A national leader in veterinary research, the school celebrated the opening of Veterinary Medicine 3B—a leading-edge biomedical research facility dedicated to a variety of issues such as environmental pollution, food safety, public health, and infectious diseases, including those that can be passed between animals and humans. UC Davis leads the nation’s 28 veterinary schools with $67.2 million in research funding for the fiscal year 2012-2013.

The Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials launched to accelerate identification and development of diagnostics and therapeutics for the benefit of veterinary and human patients. More than 40 clinical trials are now in progress.

Leigh Griffiths, assistant professor of cardiology and cardiac surgeon at the school, teamed with three biomedical engineers from the campus to develop a new approach to heart valve replacement— potentially giving transplant patients longer, healthier lives. Their collaboration won the annual Big Bang! Business Plan Competition at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

Studies from the newly dedicated Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center discovered the presence of brucellosis in harbor seals and the H1N1 flu strain in elephant seals, increasing the understanding of One Health issues among human, animals and the environment. Years of research by the center also contributed to California’s ban on lead ammunition.

The Western Institute for Food Safety and Security remains on the frontlines of protecting the nation’s food supply thanks to a $10.5 M grant renewal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the next five years. The center is heavily focused on assisting the FDA with the national implementation of the proposed Produce Safety Rule and part of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Jonna Mazet, director of the One Health Institute, visited Washington D.C. to lead a White House briefing on PREDICT—a project of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats Program that aims to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to novel infectious pathogens that can spread from wildlife to humans.

Companion animals continue to receive the most technologically advanced patient care at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital with the help of:

A new TrueBeam linear accelerator that delivers more powerful cancer treatments with pinpoint accuracy and precision 3-D printing based upon a CT scan that enables dental and oral surgeons to accurately determine the extent and location of an injury or mass, see how close lesions are to vital structures such as the brain, and determine the potential consequences of making an incision into a particular area of the patient’s skull

The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer—the most advanced diagnostic tool for rapid identification of bacterial and fungal organisms which significantly shortens the time required to initiate patient care/treatment

Veterinary and human surgeons teamed up to perform the first canine laryngectomy to save the life of Bean, a shelter rescue.

FARM Club students won a new portable ultrasound machine thanks to their ingenious music video parody that won first place in a contest.

Faculty launched year three of a new curriculum, built on the foundations of defined learning outcomes, acquiring entry-level clinical skills, problem solving, critical thinking and lifelong learning. Jonna Mazet was elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine, one of the nation’s highest honors in health and medicine. She is the fourth faculty member from the school to be elected and joins only 17 total IOM veterinary medicine members.

A three-day Donkey Welfare Symposium held at the school drew people from around the globe to learn more about the health and welfare of the world’s leading working animal.

Danika Bannasch was appointed as the inaugural recipient of the Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in Genetics.

The Koret Shelter Medicine Program developed the UC Davis Virtual Consultant, a free online self-evaluation tool for shelter staff, veterinarians, and volunteers world-wide to help improve the well-being of shelter animals.

The school provided 710 scholarships and awards to students amounting to $2 million—more than $200,000 more than last year. The scholarship program is enhanced by the school’s grant program, which provides another $2 million in financial support. More than 90 percent of students receive scholarship or grant funding.

Staff member Harold Davis, manager of the Emergency & Critical Care Service, was selected as the 2013 Western Veterinary Conference Veterinary Technician Continuing Educator of the Year. Davis, who has worked at the VMTH for more than 30 years, is an outstanding example of the dedicated, professional team of staff supporting the clinical service, research and teaching missions of the school.

2012 Year in Review

2012 Year in Review

The school is awarded full accreditation status by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.

An international team led by Stephen McSorley of the Center for Comparative Medicine takes an important step toward the development of an effective vaccine against salmonella, a group of increasingly antibiotic-resistant foodborne bacteria that kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year.

Faculty launch the second year of the new curriculum, built on the foundations of defined learning outcomes, acquisition of entry-level clinical skills, problem solving and critical thinking, and lifelong learning.

Veterinary oral surgeons and biomedical engineers prove that an experimental reconstructive procedure can regrow jawbones in dogs that have lost bone to injuries or removal of cancerous tumors. Early success with eight canine patients at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital indicates that this valuable data will translate into biomedical treatments in human and veterinary medicine.

Studies from the Center for Children’s Environmental Health regarding the impacts of toxic chemicals on the onset of autism reveal:

The first known link between flame retardants and the social, behavioral and learning deficits associated with autism

Strong evidence that triclosan, an antibacterial chemical widely used in hand soaps and other personal-care products, is of concern to both human and environmental health

A new explanation about how a defective gene causes brain changes that lead to the atypical social behavior characteristic of autism; the research offers a potential target for drugs to treat the condition.

Early exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) causes a chain of events that disrupts normal patterns of neuronal connections in the brain; the impairment is a common feature of a number of conditions, including autism spectrum disorders

Faculty, staff and administrators begin to implement the comprehensive Strategic Plan, a 5-year guide for initiatives related to the school’s mission, curriculum, faculty recruitment, research, clinical service, finances and infrastructure that builds on the school’s reputation for leading veterinary medicine and addressing societal needs.

As part of a national, targeted surveillance program, personnel from the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System help identify the fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to occur in the United States and determine that the animal had the “atypical” form of the disease. This form is not associated with previous BSE outbreaks in humans, and the cow, an older animal, did not enter the food supply.

The school recruits 10 new faculty members with expertise and experience in poultry medicine, equine reproduction, dairy production medicine, veterinary ophthalmology, small animal community medicine and more.

The school initiates a 5-year interagency 100,000 Foodborne Pathogen Genome Project to sequence the genomes of 100,000 infectious microorganisms and speed diagnosis of foodborne diseases. The team, led by Bart Weimer, is developing a public database of salmonella, E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, as well as common foodborne and waterborne viruses that sicken people and animals.

An enthusiastic student team embarks on a Calvin Schwabe One Health Project by surveying a Nicaraguan community with limited access to medical care and veterinary services. The ongoing task involves assessment of intertwined factors of animal, human and environmental health and promotes cooperation among physicians, veterinarians, environmental specialists and public health professionals to enhance community health.

Ranchers, veterinarians, veterinary students, animal science students and others attend the First Annual Beef Improvement and Low-stress Cattle Handling Seminar. Veterinary experts teach about the science and principles of animal welfare and explain practical tips for low-stress handling, safe use of antibiotics, and facility designs that optimize health and well-being in cattle.

Equine specialist Alonso Guedes, working with a colleague in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, successfully treats Hulahalla, a young Thoroughbred mare near death from laminitis. The novel anti-inflammatory compound dramatically relieves the animal’s pain until she heals; the researchers plan clinical trials for further study of the drug’s safety and effectiveness.

In its tradition of promoting student diversity and excellence, the Office of Student Programs directs the Summer Enrichment Program for undergraduates, who strengthen academic skills, acquire veterinary experience and become more competitive applicants to veterinary school.

The Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Service introduces the Parrot Wellness & Welfare Program to provide services in preventive medicine, promote client education and perform research to improve the health and welfare of parrots.

Pamela Lein heads up the $17 million CounterACT Center of Excellence, part of an innovative NIH network seeking to develop antidotes that would protect emergency responders, medical professionals and others from intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals that cause neurological damage. Future findings will also help scientists improve new treatments for people and animals with seizure disorders.

Thirty students are selected for specialized research projects and mentorship in the Students Training in Advanced Research program. The veterinary scholars learn the scientific method, investigate pressing health issues and present research findings to their peers. These and similar programs encourage students to consider veterinary research careers.

Food animal veterinarians and other scientists begin a $600,000 project to advance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of bovine respiratory disease in dairy calves. Respiratory disease is the leading natural cause of death in US beef and dairy cattle, causing losses of more than one million animals and $700 million every year.

Emergency medicine clinicians at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital treat a paralyzed border collie, placing the patient on a ventilator for 22 days until he can breathe and move again on his own. Knowledge gleaned from this rare case is expected to greatly increase understanding of mechanical ventilation in veterinary practice.

Three Nobel laureates—Jules Hoffmann, Bruce Beutler and Stanley B. Prusiner—inform and inspire faculty, staff, students and community members about specialized aspects of innate immunity, immune system deficiencies and prion-related brain disorders.

Food animal veterinarians collaborate on a $25 million USDA effort to prevent potentially fatal illnesses linked to E. coli. School faculty begin research to increase understanding of the epidemiology and ecology of non-Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in dairy cattle.

2011 Year in Review

Dean Bennie I. Osburn retires after three terms, crowning a career spanning more than 40 years; faculty, staff and students welcome the school's eighth dean, Michael D. Lairmore, a comparative cancer researcher

The Mouse Biology Program receives $37.8 million to develop mouse disease models and establish a phenotyping center for genetically altered mice used in studies of human cancers, diabetes and heart disease

Faculty implement the first year of the new student-centered curriculum, which radically changes course work, teaching methods and clinical training experience to best prepare veterinary graduates for practice

The Institute of Medicine elects to its ranks Patricia Conrad, a veterinary parasitologist known for her ground-breaking research on babesiosis; she co-directs the One Health Center of the UC Global Health Institute

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital equine specialists provide critical care services and timely guidelines that help California halt an outbreak of a rare but serious and highly contagious form of equine herpes virus

Scientists in the Department of Molecular Biosciences find that the hormone leptin actually lowers blood sugar levels in mice prone to type 2 diabetes; this new knowledge may lead to new diabetes treatments

Students organize and host nearly 1,500 fellow veterinary students at the national Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium, three days of educational seminars and networking activities

Faculty in the Veterinary Medicine Teaching & Research Center and Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology join a major USDA project to tackle bovine respiratory disease, the leading cause of death in cattle

Comparative Cancer Center and School of Medicine researchers identify a protein that appears to play a key role in the formation of lymphoma by inhibiting a tumor-suppressing gene of animals and people

The PREDICT program unveils an interactive public map and real-time reporting of zoonotic disease outbreaks around the world; the information will help infectious disease experts prevent full-scale epidemics

The International Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Tropical Disease and an international team develop and successfully test two genetically modified Rift Valley fever vaccines that could be adapted for humans

Department of Molecular Biosciences researchers show that a high-sugar diet raises levels of three known risk factors for heart disease: LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and a protein that can lead to plaque buildup in arteries

A training grant managed by the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security sets universities and the FDA on the path to national food-safety training standards for those working at all levels of food production

One Health researchers at the Wildlife Health Center and partners in Africa confirm that a virus causing respiratory disease in humans is linked to the deaths of endangered mountain gorillas

The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory Forensic Unit provides the first DNA analysis successfully used in animal cruelty prosecutions in New York City; the DNA evidence results in two felony convictions

2010 Year in Review

2010 Year in Review

Leaders of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network go to the Gulf of Mexico for several months to oversee the rescue and rehabilitation of more than 1,200 sea turtles and mammals injured in the oil industry's largest marine spill in history

A veterinarian at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital and a UC Davis physician perform a novel, laser-assisted surgery and correct a near-fatal swallowing disorder in a young dog

Recruiting future veterinarians, the Office of Student Programs and the UC Davis Department of Academic Preparation welcome 30 rural high school students to the first Veterinary Medicine Exploration Academy

To help national humane organizations prosecute dog-fighting crimes and prevent animal abuse, the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory establishes a DNA identification database of more than 400 dogs seized in raids

Veterinary neurologists are helping dogs with brain tumors in a study to test the safety of a new technique proposed for humans that delivers chemotherapy drugs directly into tumors that lie deep within the skull

Faculty in the Department of Molecular Biosciences show for the first time how weight-loss surgery may delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes, a disease affecting 23.6 million people in the United States

The International Animal Welfare Training Institute begins coordinating development of the California Animal Response Emergency System, a statewide framework to include animals in all emergency preparedness plans

Autistic children are far more likely to have deficits in their ability to produce cellular energy, which directly affects brain function, than are typically developing children, sayDepartment of Molecular Biosciences researchers

Shelter medicine veterinarians contribute expertise and guidance to a new national resource, Standards of Care In Animal Shelters: Guidelines for Protecting Health and Well-Being of Sheltered Animals

Sea Doc Society divers remove hundreds of discarded tires and toilets from the ocean floor off the Southern California coast; program leaders also calculate that paying $1,358 to remove a single derelict fishing net can save up to $19,656 in losses to the Dungeness crab fishery, a cost-benefit ratio of 1:14.5

The Wildlife Health Center Mountain Gorilla One Health Program will conserve the world's 740 mountain gorillas by caring for gorillas, people and other animals that share a home in the forests of central Africa

The Regenerative Medicine Laboratory opens to treat equine orthopedic injuries with stem cells, provide laboratory services for referring veterinarians, and conduct stem-cell research with the School of Medicine

The UC Animal Welfare Advisory Council is established to review issues of agricultural animal welfare and promote the development of science-based recommendations for the welfare of livestock and poultry

The Western Institute for Food Safety and Security found that less than one-half of one percent of tested wild animals showed positive for E. coli O157:H7, the bacteria that caused a 2006 disease outbreak

A USAID PREDICT grant of up to $75 million to the Wildlife Health Center is supporting a global disease surveillance program to prevent wildlife diseases from spreading to people in "hot spots" around the world

The stereotactic radiosurgery procedure becomes available through the Small Animal Oncology Service to treat cancer and other tumors in the brain more accurately, safely and quickly in dogs and cats

The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory contributes to the completion of the sequencing of the equine genome; the project's findings hold important implications for improved breeding and health of horses

Specialized clinicians at the Aquatic Animal Health Service offer on-site and on-call fish health services for individually owned and commercially raised fish and other aquatic species

Clinical faculty and mechanical engineering students collaborate to make a wheeled support system for dogs in rehabilitation and a laryngoscope that helps a veterinarian examine the long throat of a llama

Researchers in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology discover that ozone exposure, even at levels deemed safe by current standards, can have a significantnegative effect on lung function

Twenty veterinary students in the Early Veterinary Student Bovine Experience Program gained intensive hands-on training, practical mentoring and an in-depth appreciation of food animal practice

Nearly 200 faculty, staff and students volunteer for Spay Day 2009, performing the service for low-income community members as part of a national effort to reduce pet overpopulation and improve animal welfare

2008 Year in Review

2008 Year in Review

During the UC Davis centennial, the School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates 60 years--and countless contributions in teaching, research and service that has benefited animal, human and environmental health.

Researchers identify a gene mutation causing high levels of uric acid in all Dalmatian dogs and bladder stones in some Dalmatians; the discovery offers clues to the cause of similar problems in humans.

The school establishes the International Animal Welfare Training Institute to promote dialog, build science-based approaches to animal welfare, including livestock well-being, and conduct emergency response training.

Center for Children's Environmental Health researchers discover that antibodies in the blood of mothers of certain autistic children bind to fetal brain cells, a process that may interrupt healthy brain development.

The first International Symposium on Veterinary Hospice Care addresses end-of-life issues for pets.

Center for Comparative Medicine researchers discover that Lyme disease bacteria linger after a full round of antibiotic treatment, setting the stage for new investigations of potential therapies in this chronic disease.

The Student Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society creates the first student-sponsored endowment.

Researchers at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory develop the first test to identify and help prevent equine cerebellar abiotrophy, a serious neurological disease in Arabian horses.

Rell Parker, DVM Class of 2010, is among the first veterinary students to receive a scholarship to the year-long Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health Research Scholars Program.

Faculty participating with an international research team find the first clear example of how climate extremes can create conditions in which multiple infectious outbreaks may cause mass die-offs of livestock or wildlife.

A Dale Chihuly art "chandelier" donated as part of the campus Art in Public Places program is installed in Valley Hall; the 12 by 8-foot sculpture contains 579 pieces of hand-blown glass assembled over a 4-day period.

In a study involving 11,000 cats, genetic researchers conclude that all ancestral roads for today's domestic cat lead back to the "cradle of civilization" for humans, the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East.

The Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement Project partners with communities of Tanzania to improve the quality of water sources shared by people, wildlife and domestic animals.

Cardiology experts expand services in Davis and the University of California Veterinary Medical Center â€“ San Diego to serve more patients, offer new treatments, and support specialty training in this dynamic field.

The school confronts new financial challenges in almost every program, administrative function and facilities plan as an unprecedented economic crisis affects state, federal and private funding of the school.

2007 Year in Review

2007 Year in Review

Recognizing the enduring influence of the veterinary educator who served 20 years as dean, the school celebrates the dedication of the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Faculty geneticists and dermatologists identify a gene mutation and develop a new diagnostic test that can lead to the elimination of "HERDA," a debilitating, degenerative skin disease in horses.

On Spay Day 2007, 250 volunteer faculty members, staff employees and students pitch in to spay or neuter 100 dogs; the community event assists low-income families and reduces pet overpopulation.

Veterinary Medicine III A opens; the new research and multipurpose teaching facility incorporates clinical, teaching and research labs and co-locates all DVM teaching activities for the first time in more than 30 years.

The Students Training in Advanced Research (STAR) program introduces 40 students to veterinary research methods and new career options by supporting summer projects in animal health and basic research.

The WALTHAM University of California Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego Clinical Nutrition Program opens in San Diego, with pharmaceutical nutrition services for regional clients and resources for area veterinarians.

Veterinary faculty offer International Flu School in six African countries, demonstrating the power of preventive veterinary medicine; training has improved animal health, human nutrition, and small-farm income.

The Western Institute for Food Safety and Security implements the only comprehensive training course for agroterrorism preparedness certified by the US Department of Homeland Security.

The Doctoring course enriches students' understanding of client relations, business practices, the bond between clients and their pets and other essential, non-medical aspects of veterinary practice.

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network mobilizes in November and December to treat and rehabilitate hundreds of seabirds injured when a container ship spills 58,000 gallons of fuel into San Francisco Bay.

The laboratory designed for the instruction of surgery, anesthesiology and radiology is named the Ira M. "Gary" Gourley Clinical Teaching Center to honor the highly regarded professor emeritus of small animal surgery.

The Center for Children's Environmental Health begins the first prospective study to seek early markers of autism during pregnancy; developmental studies of rats shed new light on environmental aspects of autism.

The Summer Enrichment Program helps prospective veterinary students break barriers to professional education through classroom and lab courses, mentoring and veterinary hospital experience.

Researchers at the Center for Vectorborne Disease identify a gene mutation that may change relatively mild forms of West Nile virus into a highly virulent disease in American crows, a major sentinel species.

2006 Year in Review

2006 Year in Review

The Gladys Valley Hall teaching facility opens, bringing students together for classroom instruction for the first time in decades as class size expands from 122 to 131 students.

Veterinary Emergency Response Team volunteers donate their time for several weeks to treat hundreds of sheep burned in September wildfires; students also learn about the role of euthanasia in compassionate veterinary practice.

Veterinary Medicine Extension and the Wildlife Health Center launch the international Flu School to train veterinarians, public health experts, and producers dealing with prevention or outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The veterinary research budget expands by 44% to $96 million for studies of animal, human and environmental health.

A veterinary study at the Center for Children's Environmental Health links thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, with immune dysfunction in mice; results may have implications for the study of autism in children.

At the annual Spay Day community service event, students assist faculty and staff with 100 spay-neuter procedures on dogs; the all-volunteer event, part of a national effort, helps low-income families and reduces pet overpopulation.

Faculty members of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, working with state and federal agencies, succeed in developing a single, rapid test to screen for foot-and-mouth disease and six "look-alike" diseases in livestock.

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital experts in ultrasound and endoscopy travel to Namibia to help conservationists with a project to improve fertility in cheetahs and assure the long-term genetic survival of this endangered species.

Dr. Margaret Slater presents "Homeless Pets, Public Health and Changing Public Perceptions" at the 2006 Robert Dyar Labrador Memorial Lectureship in Epidemiology.

Three National Institutes of Health grants totaling $5.7 million expand the Mouse Biology Program responsibilities in a worldwide effort to develop and share genetically altered mice that serve as models of animal and human disease.

Students and other volunteers of the Mercer Veterinary Clinic for the Homeless provide free veterinary services, spay-neuter assistance-and 24,000 pounds of pet food per year-for pets of the homeless in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Zoo dedicates the Murray E. Fowler Veterinary Hospital to honor the emeritus professor who pioneered zoological medicine and established the first zoo medicine residency program in the nation.

Research findings in transgenic goats may lead to the production of milk with properties that can protect infants against diarrhea, which kills more than 2 million children each year around the world.

Students co-sponsor the first annual Alpaca and Llama Symposium for owners, breeders and veterinarians; students organize events throughout the year to enrich their learning about behavior, medicine and health in various species.

Emergency and intensive care services and resources-including five mechanical ventilators unavailable at most clinics-help Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital faculty save a dog from a lung infection that can kill up to 85% of patients.

To promote greater interest in science, the Veterinary Student Outreach Club presents family-friendly activities and discusses animal health with 50,000 visitors to the KCRA-TV 3 Health and Fitness Expo in Sacramento.

2005 Year in Review

2005 Year in Review

The AVMA restores full accreditation; school officials rededicate themselves to the $354 million building program that brought five buildings under construction in five years.

Carol Cardona—Vet Med Extension, Walter Boyce—Wildlife Health Center, and other infectious disease experts at UC Davis join forces to inform the media, educate the public and coordinate preparedness strategies to prevent an epidemic of avian influenza.

Veterinary cardiologists Mark Kittleson and Kristin MacDonald help discover a gene mutation responsible for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common cause of heart disease in cats; this devastating inherited disease can also cause sudden death in young human athletes.

The Claire Giannini Hoffman Equine Athletic Performance Laboratory opens; with two treadmills that allow horses to run safely at a full gallop, this facility helps faculty evaluate and treat lameness, respiratory or cardiovascular problems in horses; researchers also investigate performance issues of equine athletes.

On Spay Day, more than 500 school volunteers spay and neuter 300 dogs and cats in a community effort to serve low-income pet owners, protect animal health and well-being, and reduce pet overpopulation.

A new, rapid diagnostic test developed in the Lucy G. Whittier Molecular Diagnostic Core Facility identifies canine influenza, an emerging infectious disease of special concern for shelters and kennels.

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita inundate Louisiana, school volunteers travel to help at veterinary shelters; answer dozens of calls to the Pet Loss Support Hotline; and treat pets relocated to California rescue centers.

The Master of Public Health program, a joint teaching program with the School of Medicine, earns full accreditation to prepare veterinarians and other health professionals for careers in public health and medical care.

Seeking to refine air quality standards, the Environmental Protection Agency presented UC Davis with $8 million for veterinary researchers to study the health effects of airborne particles in the lungs and heart.

To gain a "toolbox of skills" in communication, client relations and community or professional service, the Class of 2009 participates in Leadership Training during orientation week.

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital clinicians in the Ophthalmology and Exotics services perform high-frequency ultrasound studies of the eyes of 12 live snakes, gathering the first detailed information recorded about the structure of healthy snake eyes.

The SeaDoc Society pilots a program to identify and clean up abandoned fishing gear along the California coast to reduce underwater hazards that can harm marine animals, sensitive habitat and people.

2004 Year in Review

2004 Year in Review

The school's first White Coat Ceremony welcomes the Class of 2008 to the veterinary profession.

The Wildlife Health Center publishes an intensive study showing that mountain lions live closer than we realize, but tend to avoid humans; the ongoing assessment provides information useful in managing the co-existence of pumas and people.

At the first International Veterinary Conference in Kuwait, Dean Bennie I. Osburn and other veterinarians initiate an international effort to rebuild war-torn veterinary service systems and veterinary education in Afghanistan and Iraq; the plan includes developing research opportunities and student exchanges in the Middle East.

A team of clinicians and researchers identifies the genetic roots of equine malignant hyperthermia, a life-threatening disorder that may develop during anesthesia; results will lead to better clinical prevention strategies and insights about the condition in horses, other animals and humans.

The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory and Center for Vectorborne Disease confirm West Nile virus in thousands of mosquitoes and birds as the disease reaches Northern California for the first time.

Veterinary virologist Tilahun Yilma, known for his vital work with rinderpest diagnostics and vaccines, is elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors accorded to scientists and engineers in the United States.

The Center for Companion Animal Health, the largest privately funded facility on campus, celebrates its grand opening in July; the new space holds research labs and triples capacity for cancer treatment of small animals.

At the school's first Spay Day, 400 faculty, staff and student volunteers unite to perform 300 spay-neuter procedures in a single day to reduce pet overpopulation and improve animal welfare in the Sacramento Valley.

School faculty and partners of the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense develop ways to detect and control avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, Rift Valley fever and other infectious disease threats.

Harold Davis, RVT, presents the inaugural Jack Mara Memorial Lecture at the North American Veterinary Conference, where he was honored for accomplishments during his 22-year career at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Center for Comparative Medicine researchers develop a sensitive PET-scan in mice to analyze cancers comparable to human disease; the technology helps scientists detect cancer cells at different stages of disease and may lead to better evaluation of cancer-fighting drugs.

The Renal Transplantation team performs a successful kidney transplant on a Belgian cat, the program's first patient from Europe; the surgical team has conducted more than 300 kidney transplants since 1987.

The Western Institute for Food Safety and Security receives $4.7 million from the Department of Homeland Security to train personnel how to prevent, recognize and deal with potential terrorist acts directed at the nation's food supply.

Center for Companion Animal Health geneticists discover the mutation that causes polycystic kidney disease, a common disorder of Persian cats; a diagnostic test will help identify and prevent this serious disease, which also occurs in humans.

The Aldo Leopold Leadership Progam names its first veterinarian, Patricia Conrad, as a fellow in its environmental science communications training program.

2003 Year in Review

2003 Year in Review

The Center for Vectorborne Disease identifies the first evidence of West Nile virus in California, testing 11,000 mosquito pools, 2,000 dead bird tissues, and serum from 5,000 wild birds in 2003; veterinary school seminars help horse owners prepare and vaccinate their animals.

Oscar W. Schalm lecturer Patricia A. Conrad explains how parasitic diseases are transmitted in wildlife, domestic animals and people; her research team discovers that high numbers of sea otters died 1998-2001 from newly recognized parasitic diseases and note possible links between domestic cats, storm-drain runoff and marine ecosystems.

Faculty and staff of Veterinary Medicine Extension and the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory work in key roles during an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in poultry; the team works with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories to develop a rapid, DNA-based diagnostic test immediately deployed in surveillance efforts.

Clinical nutritionists unveil the Nutrition Support Center to meet dogs' and cats' exacting dietary needs and contribute to successful overall management of clinical cases at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

The Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, Tulare, marks its 20th anniversary supporting improved food animal health and veterinary science at the hub of the U.S. dairy industry.

The Center for Animals in Society names new director Rick Timmins to lead programs that enhance understanding of human-animal relationships and apply that understanding for the betterment of both humans and animals.

Veterinary geneticists discover that mountain lion populations in different geographic regions of the state have distinct genetic structures; results will help officials anticipate migration patterns and manage wildlife corridors.

The Large Animal Rescue Team conducts two equine airlift rescues, one for a horse in the Auburn area and another of an injured pack mule stranded in a canyon of the Eastern Sierra near Bishop.

The name of a new Bartonella species, Bartonella chomelii, honors Bruno B. Chomel, the first scientist to isolate Bartonella bovis from domestic cattle and demonstrate transmission of the bacteria by fleas in cats.

The School of Veterinary Medicine Livestock Nursery introduces California State Fair visitors to the daily miracles of farm life while veterinary students gain valuable experience with normal livestock births.

UCTV television program "State of Minds" features the school's Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program as a pioneering effort to improve the quality of life for animals in shelters.

Student Daniel Famini and collaborators specializing in animal locomotion document that elephants can travel at up to 15 miles per hour and exhibit an unusual gait that may shed light on how large animals move at high speeds.

The Michael R. Floyd Dental Operatory celebrates its 10th anniversary; this unique facility set a new standard in veterinary dentistry services and serves as an integral component of the companion animal teaching program.

The Sea Doc Society focuses research and educational missions on the marine wildlife and ecosystem health of the Pacific Ocean in Washington and British Columbia.

Student volunteers hand out a record-setting 100 "holiday pet baskets" at the Mercer Veterinary Clinic for the Homeless; teaching hospital staff members have collected donations and assembled the baskets since 1995.

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network mobilizes November 2001-July 2002 to rescue and rehabilitate birds injured off the San Francisco coast in a mystery oil spill; officials eventually discover that the oil has leaked from a freighter sunken in 1953.

vFeline geneticists confirm the world's first cloned cat; the use of cloning to develop new animal models of disease stands to benefit human health research.

A partnership with the School of Medicine leads to establishment of the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program for veterinarians pursuing careers in food safety, zoonoses, and other areas impacting human health.

Researchers determine how blood platelets can be freeze-dried and stored for at least a year at room temperature before being reconstituted with water; the discovery advances the safety and stability of blood products and contributes to understanding how blood clots can cause heart attacks and strokes.

The first vaccine for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) gains approval for commercial veterinary use; the virus was first isolated at UC Davis in 1986.

The UC Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego opens its Hemodialysis Service for companion animals in Southern California and establishes a combined residency-PhD program in comparative pathology.

Students gain field experience in equine medicine, surgery, anesthesia, animal handling and wildlife issues during outreach effort at the Wild Horse Sanctuary, home to hundreds of feral horses in Northern California.

Research results suggest environmental factors may be contributing to disease involved in the precipitous decline of California's Southern sea otter population.

Students produce instructional videos that help clients learn how to use feeding tubes and conduct other complex home care procedures needed for follow-up care of pets discharged from the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

The Western Institute for Food Safety and Security launches its program to unite academia, government and industry in a focused research effort encompassing plant- and animal-related food safety and security.

Shelter Medicine Program personnel investigate and confirm a rare, often fatal, calicivirus outbreak in Southern California cats and work with practitioners and feline rescue groups to contain the disease within several weeks.

Students organize an international veterinary project in El Salvador, teaching members of a women's cooperative how to recognize signs of poor health in cattle and perform simple procedures to manage the health of their animals.

Veterinary nutritionists at the Nutrition Clinic work with veterinarians and clients to recommend commercial or home-cooked diets for animals with previously diagnosed diseases or obesity.

The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory forensics testing service assists law enforcement by using DNA typing techniques to identify animal evidence associated with crime scenes.

2001 Year in Review

2001 Year in Review

The Southern California Ecosystem Health Program begins a long-term study of mountain lions, deer, bighorn sheep and humans to determine best habitat management for wildlife health and human safety.

The Early Veterinary Student Dairy Experience Program offers students in-depth experience with dairy farmers and practitioners to promote food animal medicine careers and food safety awareness.

A foot-and-mouth disease seminar sponsored by the school draws farm producers, veterinarians and agricultural officials to outline statewide strategies for prevention and control of foreign animal diseases.

The JD Wheat Orthopedic Research Laboratory develops recommendations for shoeing of racehorses, management of training intensity, and monitoring for early signs of injury after a study identifies specific risk factors.

New Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention is launched to investigate possible environmental triggers of autism through interrelated medical research and studies in molecular biology.

Staff install "Vet LiNC" Web cameras that bring the school's livestock nursery at the State Fair to thousands of online visitors, educating the public about animal health and reproduction on the farm.

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network opens two facilities, Suisun-San Francisco Bay and San Pedro, for rescue and rehabilitation of sea birds and small marine mammals affected by oil spills.

Stephen W. Barthold, director of the Center for Comparative Medicine, is elected to the National Institute of Medicine, joining other nationally known advisers on public health policy issues.

The Center for Companion Animal Health breaks ground for one of the first new buildings being constructed to address facilities concerns; $14 million expansion project is privately funded.

The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory improves the diagnosis of oleander poisoning in livestock with a highly sensitive test using methods of analytical chemistry. Other new assays detect antibiotic residues in milk and toxic algae in water.

The school establishes the Veterinarian Scientist Training Program (DVM/PhD) and the Peter C. Kennedy Endowed Fellowship in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology to help scholar-researchers achieve career goals.

The Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, with a $2.2 million grant from Maddie's Fund, provides medical care and preventive medicine services to participating animal shelters, conducts infectious disease research, and offers residency training. The program is complemented by the student-run Shelter Dog Rescue Project.

The California Animal Health And Food Safety Laboratory System announces a new name reflecting the expanded role of veterinary diagnostic services and research in protecting California's food supply.

The Marine Ecosystem Health Program, administered by the Wildlife Health Center, is inaugurated to conduct research on the health of wildlife populations and their environments along the Pacific Coast.

The first formal veterinary information model, designed by James T. Case, improves the efficiency of medical record-keeping among public health professionals by including animal-related data, environmental samples and food safety samples.

The 3rd Annual Job Fair brings California practitioners and students together to develop professional relationships, including summer jobs and career positions.

The Equine Physical Therapy Service opens, the nation's first unit to meet unique diagnostic and therapeutic needs of injured performance horses. Faculty expertise in this area benefits horses at the 2000 Olympics.

Hanspeter Witschi and his team discover that a special diet can prevent lung cancer in mice exposed to cigarette smoke and may assist with preclinical testing of substances aimed at preventing lung cancer in former smokers.

Comprehensive $354 million facilities plan addresses accreditation concerns and outlines facilities designed to support the school's long-term vision.

At Annual Awards Ceremony, DVM students receive $1.25 million in scholarships and financial aid.

The 1st Alternative Pets Fair, sponsored by the Center for Companion Animal Health, welcomes 1,300 members of the public to learn about the special health and care needs of exotic and non-traditional companion animals.

SeaWorld, San Diego opens a new Oiled Wildlife Care Network facility to rescue and rehabilitate sea birds and small marine mammals affected by oil spills.

New Genetics Service and residency helps clients detect and manage inherited diseases in companion animals.

Dog and cat genome mapping projects begin.

A pilot leadership program offers 22 incoming DVM students a set of strategies for pursuing leadership opportunities balanced with work and personal life in veterinary school and beyond.

Charles Plopper and his team show for the first time that exposure to ozone can change how lungs develop and respond to air pollution; future work may unlock the causes of and new therapies for the treatment of asthma, especially in children.

The Peace Corps Master's International Program combines study for the school's Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine degree with a project or thesis based on Peace Corps experience.

The Bernice Barbour Communicable Disease Laboratory of the Center for Equine Health is established to discover the causes of infectious disease in animals and humans by investigating processes that diseases share in common.

The Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, supported by Maddie's Fund, establishes the Shelter Medicine Service and residency and focuses research to prevent infectious diseases and behavior problems in shelter animal populations.

The National Library of Medicine presents one of its only awards to a veterinarian, Glenna Gobar, DVM, one of the first candidates for the Master of Medical Informatics degree.

The 3rd International Congress of Ecosystem Health, co-sponsored by the school, focuses on key environmental issues: emerging infectious diseases, toxins, water and air quality, wildlife health and biodiversity.

The Center for Vector-Borne Diseases welcomes its first director, John D. Edman. The center provides teaching, research and surveillance programs on the biology of mosquitoes, ticks and other organisms that spread disease to animals and humans.

Oscar W. Schalm lecturer Christopher Murphy, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin, presents a discussion of animal vision .

Members of the Veterinary Medical Assistance Team, a volunteer rescue and disaster preparedness organization, travel to North Carolina to assist with animal airlift rescues during flooding from Hurricane Floyd.

The Institute of Medicine inducts Frederick A. Murphy, the school's dean 1991-1996 and professor of virology, as the sole veterinarian of 55 individuals elected, for career contributions in health and medicine, including zoonotic viral disease.

Animal Ambassadors introduces its science outreach curriculum in 30 locations around the state, primarily in 4-H after-school groups. The ambassadors program helps elementary school students K â€“ 8 learn about animals and science.

The Bernard and Gloria Salick Equine Viral Diseases Laboratory is established for diagnosis, control and study of the global spread of viruses in animals and, potentially, humans.

Denmark confers knighthood on Professor Hans P. Riemann to recognize his lifetime of service in food safety and veterinary educational exchange.

The Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory facility is officially dedicated. This $7.4 million facility will conduct routine drug testing of racehorses and research on the effects of medications on equine performance.

1998 Year in Review

1998 Year in Review

In 1998, the School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates fifty years of professional education, scientific research, and public service. Current trends include the following events and activities:

The School names equine surgeon Gregory Ferraro director of the Center for Equine Health. Ferraro coordinates the service programs and research for California's $3.4 billion horse industry. He also cultivates financial support for School programs enhancing the health of the state's 642,000 horses.

The Center for Comparative Medicine opens in June. Collaborators from the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Medicine are working together to find the causes and cures of persistent infectious diseases, especially viruses affecting animals and humans.

Public health agencies and a biotechnology firm collaborate with UC Davis researchers to develop a vaccine to protect animals and humans from avian influenza. This and other cutting-edge, genetics-based research projects demonstrate the human side of veterinary medicine.

The School begins the state's first education project administered jointly by a high school, a community college and a university. The new California Dairy Technology Center in Tulare will operate a self-supporting, working dairy where students will learn relevant technical job skills and explore veterinary careers.

Working with state authorities, the School identifies a new contagious equine illness. A separate cooperative effort with agricultural experts analyzes risks to cattle productions in the event of an infectious disease outbreak. Both events highlight the School's expertise and liaison role between industry and government in livestock protection.

An enrollment increase from 108-122 students addresses a growing need for health professionals. About 77% of School graduates remain in the state, the highest retention rate in the country. Each graduating class represents about one-third of the veterinarians licensed in California each year.

The 100th feline kidney transplant represents just one aspect of the sophistication of animal care at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

At the 50th Anniversary Gala in August, friends and colleagues celebrate and rededicate themselves to leadership in animal, human, and environmental health. The dean publicly announces a $50 million, 50th Anniversary Campaign to fund new mandates and visions for the next century of veterinary medicine and education.